Keeping it All Straight

Kaboompics via Pixabay

You'd think that after all these years of writing about planners that I'd have a go-to planner -- one I choose every single time so that planner shopping is a no-brainer.

But I don't.

I used to have one of those planners when I was working full-time. It was expensive, but it had all the elements I needed. And, since I didn't carry a lot around, I didn't mind that it was bulky and not exactly lightweight because everything I needed was in there.

It took me a long time to find that perfect, albeit expensive, fit, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it's taken me as long as it has to find my next perfect fit. The precise interior of my primary planner (yes, I have more than one) changes somewhat from year to year, mostly because I can't seem to find an exact match, but this year's planner marks a definite departure from my norm. I decided that I wanted more room for notes, so I opted for a planner that's more of a journal, with only monthly view (not the daily I usually go for) and lots of room for notes.

That's Planner #1. And I love it. The more I use it, the more I don't know how I did without this much space for notes.

Planner #2 is my work calendar, and it doubles as a lesson plan book of sorts. This is the planner with the weekly and monthly view, but it contains only my class and work information. More utilitarian than pretty, it needs to have just weekly and monthly views and maybe a little space somewhere for notes; everything else is immaterial.

Planner #3 is one I try to replicate every year -- a cheap (I try to pay only $1), thin book with a two page spread for each month and maybe a couple of extra pages for notes or contacts at the back. This is my goal-setting and writing plan book, where I keep track of my monthly goals and my writing assignments.

My planner.
Photo: target.com

But every single one of these books closes. This is, of course, to be expected as that's an integral part of how a planner is set up. As someone with an I need to see it personal style, I need a place to corral all of this information into a format I can see at a glance.

Enter my Knock Knock notepads. I'd seen these in a number of gift shops and bookstores (and on Amazon), but then discovered I could go to the website and explore the whole gamut of options, not just the ones the store buyer liked. I settled on the "This Week" version, which I've been using since sometime last summer. Then, after Christmas, I found several others (which appear to be discontinued) at Marshall's, and I added a different version of the weekly planner and a weekend planner to my collection.

Each Sunday (okay, sometimes it's Monday), I check my planner and transfer any appointments to my "This Week" sheet, which, by the way, also has a "Next Week" block so I can give myself a heads up if I need to do something to prepare for an upcoming appointment hidden in my neatly closed planner.

But I digress.

I then put a clean sheet of copy paper or notebook paper on a clipboard with my 6 x 9" "This Week" sheet on top. The difference in size between the two pages allows me to use the margins of the larger page to make a master list from which I transfer tasks to the appropriate day of my "This Week" sheet.

If this sounds like a lot of work to you, try keeping track of all of this in your head.

All kidding aside, this system might be way too complicated (or time-consuming) for you. You might prefer simply one planner and one master list, and if that works for you, that's wonderful. Before landing on this plan, I tried all sorts of ways of keeping my lists separate yet merged, and something always fell through the cracks. For me, this set-up provides the perfect blend of visibility for immediate planning (and urgent tasks) and long-term planning. Writing the tasks out each week keeps them in the forefront of my mind and, when I find myself overrunning the space provided, it makes me stop and think about whether I might be overloading the day -- something a big, blank sheet of paper just doesn't take into account.

As a serious stationery lover, I get very excited bout finding my "just right" fit and I'm a sucker for pre-printed pads that are a match for my personal style. These are the kinds of things I like to splurge on, but you might prefer to go more basic and/or make your own.

Have you found your perfect set-up? If not, what is your current set-up missing?

I Can Stop Any Time I Want

Although I identify as an I need to see it/drop and run kinda girl, I also have to admit to a heaping helping of I love stuff. Not surprisingly, my weakness is organizers, containers and stationery products. Two years ago, I had to declare a moratorium on the purchase of notebooks and sticky notes; my collection had become substantial enough to provide precisely the proper notebook, sticky note, sticky flag or sticky page marker for every conceivable occasion.

Although I could blame 31 years in education for my love of school supplies, the truth is, I've loved stationery products for as long as I can remember. The paper aisles at the five and dime were always my favorite as a kid, and when my mother took me to the stationery store on 36th Street, I was in heaven. Paper by the pound? Yes, please!

There's a fine line between "just enough"and "too much" though, and, on more than one occasion, I've crossed it. Still, I love going to my basement and choosing just the right tool -- the right bag, the right notebook, the right folder or file -- for whatever project or task I'm working on. I take great pleasure in selecting precisely what I need, whether it's a writing implement, a notebook or an acetate envelope to keep my papers pristine. Unfortunately, the thrill of these discoveries only entrenches the habit.

Developing self-control in this area is a one step forward, one step back process. Sure, there are weeks I come away from the stationery aisles at Target empty-handed, and months can pass between visits to Staples. But then there are the times when I purchase not one, but two planners (okay, three if you count the undated one that perfectly fit the three-ring mini binder I had in the basement -- which doesn't count because it was in the dollar-ish bins).

The acquisition has slowed substantially, but the love lives on, so I guess that's progress. Meanwhile, admitting I have a problem is the first step, right?

How about you? What stuff can't you get enough of?

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Elements of Planner Purchase

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Every once in a while, a post qualifies as both a "3 Keys Thursday" post and a "Throwback Thursday" post. In the case of today's post, the content isn't recycled...exactly. It's just that the three most important elements to consider when purchasing a planner also happen to be the three most important elements to consider when purchasing a container: form, function and style.

No, we can't contain time. But like containers, planners are organizational tools, and the likelihood that we'll use them effectively increases when we consider the same three elements.

minimography.com

• Form. Despite the fact that my iPhone and I are inseparable, when it comes to planners, I'm a paper and pencil girl. I don't know whether it's the writing things down part, or physically opening up a book and seeing everything at a glance -- or maybe both -- but even when I use the calendar on my laptop, I need a paper back-up. You may be just as staunchly electronic when it comes to planner as I am old school. What's most important is that you know that and honor it so you can choose something you'll use and access frequently.

• Function. All planners have one function in common: to help us to organize our time. What we need to look at more closely is the details of how they'll perform that function -- things like ease of access and layout. I struggle with the calendar on my iPhone, but love the version on my Mac -- one is just easier for me to get to and manage. 

          What type of layout do you need? Monthly?
          Weekly? Both? If you're choosing a paper planner, how much room do you need to write?

          Do you need to keep track of your whole life in one book, or are you just writing down 

          appointments?

          Price is also a factor. I like my months tabbed, but as long as the inside layout works, I 

          actually enjoy customizing a cheapie calendar with sticky tabs for months and sections. 

          

          Finally, do you take your calendar with you or hang it on the wall (or both)? Are you trying to     

          sync your calendar(s) with someone else's? Although it's usually a good idea to keep track of 

          all your obligations (work and home) in one planner, I've seen people successfully dovetail 

          planners and master wall calendars, particularly when the wall calendar brings together the

          individual planners of several family members. To make this work, however, you must set aside 

          time to transfer events from the planner to the wall calendar, or you're likely to overbook or 

          miss something important.

freepik.com

• Style. My planners can be cheap and boring, but the wall calendar in my office has to be pretty. Conversely, when I took a survey about planner choice among my young adult students, the words "Vera Bradley" and "Lilly Pulitzer" popped up as a part of the descriptors on a number of the young women's answers for the planners they carry with them. While some of the young men in the group rolled their eyes at this, these young ladies were on to something. Many of us are more likely to use a tool that's aesthetically pleasing. 

Taking time to choose a calendar that's "just right" for you -- both outside and inside -- is the first step toward taking control of time management. Next week, we'll talk about some keys to that very subject.